BBC ON MCCAIN

Republican convention to resume

Sarah Palin's announcement has caused a stir at the gathering


The US Republican Party's convention is due to resume its main agenda now that Hurricane Gustav's threat has passed.

The gathering in St Paul, Minnesota, will see John McCain nominated as the Republicans' presidential candidate.

President George W Bush is due to speak via video-link from the White House on Mr McCain's service and leadership.

The main talking point so far has been the announcement by Mr McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, that her unmarried teenage daughter is pregnant.

According to excerpts of Mr Bush's speech released in advance, the president will describe Mr McCain as a president ready to make the tough decisions needed "in a dangerous world".

"John McCain's life has prepared him to make those choices. He is ready to lead this nation," Mr Bush will say.

He will also speak of Mr McCain's life as "a story of service above self" and emphasise the "independence and character" he showed in backing the administration's "surge" strategy of pouring more forces into Iraq.

Former Senator Fred Thompson, who ran against Mr McCain in the party's primaries, will talk about Mr McCain's commitment to reforming Washington and call upon Americans to "step up, stand up and put 'country first' with John McCain."

Gustav appeal

Most of the first day's political events were suspended out of respect for communities affected by Gustav.

Instead, Mr McCain's wife, Cindy, and First Lady Laura Bush made calls to support those under threat.



McCain on Palin's announcement
Mrs Bush told delegates that such events transcended party politics and reminded people that they were Americans first.

"Events in the Gulf Coast region have changed the focus of our attention and the first priority is to ensure the safety and the well being of those living in the Gulf Coast region," she said.

Gustav was downgraded to a tropical storm after making landfall on Monday west of New Orleans, where hundreds of thousands of people had been evacuated.

The hurricane came three years after Hurricane Katrina struck, killing more than 1,800 people and resulting in huge damage to the city and its surrounding area. President Bush was strongly criticised over his handling of the crisis.

Palin talking point

The BBC's Adam Brookes in St Paul says the Republican Party convention is now getting down to work after the uncertainty brought on by Hurricane Gustav.

Tuesday's events will focus on Mr McCain, a concentrated piece of political image building with a keynote speech from Joe Lieberman, the Democrat-turned-independent senator, who has decided to support the party's candidate, our correspondent says.


Sarah Palin's announcement has so far overshadowed the convention


Wife's role in the show
Republican Convention diary
Teenage pregnancy in spotlight

President Bush will also address the convention via a live video feed from Washington. He cancelled his planned opening night speech amid concerns that overt political campaigning would play badly with voters at a time of potential crisis.

But many Republicans will be glad he is not here in St Paul in person, our correspondent says, and much of this week will be about defining Mr McCain as very different to his unpopular predecessor.

Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska who was presented as Mr McCain's choice for running mate on Friday and is facing an ethics investigation back in her home state, made the announcement of her unmarried daughter's pregnancy on Monday.

She said Bristol, 17, planned to have the baby and would be getting married.

Mrs Palin, who is opposed to abortion, said her daughter would "have the love and support of our entire family" and appealed for privacy for the young couple.

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that Bristol's boyfriend, named as 18-year-old Levi Johnston, would be joining the Palin family at the convention in Minnesota.

The AP quotes Mr Johnston's mother, Sherry, as saying he had been put under no pressure to marry and that the pair had been planning to wed before they knew she was pregnant.

Our correspondent says Mrs Palin's selection as vice-presidential candidate has caused great excitement among social conservatives and evangelical Christians here.

But across the broader Republican Party there seems to be some unease - she is an unknown quantity, and when she is finally brought out on to the convention stage on Wednesday, many McCain supporters will be crossing their fingers and hoping she performs, he adds.

The 72-year-old Arizona senator is expected to formally accept his candidacy in a prime-time speech on Thursday evening.

The speech is deemed to be among the most important events of the campaign for his chances of winning the White House in November.

Meanwhile on Monday, police in St Paul used pepper spray as they arrested more than 100 protesters, some of whom threw bottles and broke windows. Many of those involved in the violence identified themselves to the Associated Press as anarchists.

Several thousand anti-war marchers had earlier demanded the return of US troops from Iraq.



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